Improvement in mail-boxes



J. SHERRIFF.

Mail-Boxes.

No. 216,229. Patented June 3, 1879.

d 9/? 4/ fly "10 O m I If I]: G O L T lr O O r ATTQRNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATnnrQgr'uo JOHN SHERRIFF, OF DEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT lN MAI L-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,229, dated June 3, 1879; application filed March 21, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JoHN SHERRIFF, of

I Dedham, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the open box. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation on line atm, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line y y, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

The object of this invention is to provide a strong, light, durable, and convenient box or truck for the transportation of letters and other mail-matter.

The invention consists of the box A, the body and cover of which are constructed of stout paper board, or vulcanized paper or fiber, while its bunters or caps, and all its trimmings,excepting the handles B B, that are preferably of leather, are composed of rawhide.

It further consists of the extended caps or bunt-ers O O and D D, of rawhide, secured to the cover and body, respectively, of the box by rivets that are entered from the inside of the cover and body, and have their ends struck down on burrs on the outside. The wider portions of these caps D D ext-end up and-protect the corners of the box and meet the downwardprojecting corner-pieces of the caps (J (J when the box is closed. Across the ends of the box they are cut away and made narrower, so as to afford sockets or recesses for the display of whatever tag or plate P may be set in them. When the box is opened the tag or plate may be inserted in or removed from the socket but when the cover, with its corresponding socket, is closed down, the plate cannot be removed, but remains securely fixed.

The handles B B reach entirely across each end of the box in such a manner that they do not interfere with or obstruct the view of the tags or plates, and their ends, being inserted through cuts or slots a a in the end faces of the corner parts of the hunters D D, pass between the hunters and the back of the box, and are secured there by one or more of the rivets that holdtogether the hunters and box-body.

b b, or other suitable device, on either end.

Sliding on the rod is a sleeve, 0, to one end of which is fixed the upright plate G, provided with two perforated ears or lugs, d cl, while embracing the rod with its lower extremity is the thumb-piece or lever H, that is pivoted between the lugs d d, and above them is connected to the plate G, above its center, by the spiral sprin g f, whose outward pressure upon the top of thethumb-piece causes its lower end to gripe the rod F and press against the plate G in such a manner as to lock the plate and keep it stationary on the rod. By pressing the top of H inward against the plate, the lock is released and the plate may be moved at will. This device is for the purpose of holding firmly in place, so that-they shall not'become disarran ged, whatever letters or packages are put in the box. The bottom of the box is preferably stiffened bya wooden strip or strips, 9 g, as shown, on the inside thereof.-

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcut- 1. The combination, in a mail-box, of the rod F, the sleeve 0', the plate G, the thumb-lever H, and the spring f with the box A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. An improved mail-box provided with rawhide bunters or protectors U D, extended and cutaway, so as to form sockets or recesses for the plate or card P, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. An improved mail box composed of stout paper-board, or vulcanized paper or fiber, provided with rawhide bunters or corner-protectors G D, the wooden bottom strips, g, and the handles B, secured to the corner-protectors D, substantially as herein shown and described.

JOHN SHERRIFF.

Witnesses CHARLES (J. SHERRIFF, HENRY E. GILsoN. 

